Merwin Upstream Fish Passage Operations, Lewis River, Washington

The Merwin Fish Capture facility went into full operation on January 23, 2014.  The facility is comprised of two main parts; a fish trap and a sorting facility. Design features will be discussed along with the challenges to maintain continuous operation through the first year. 

The trap operates 24/7/365 in an automated fashion.  A minimum of three PacifiCorp Compliance fish biologists process the captured fish on a daily basis.  There are also three truck drivers available to transport fish upstream.  There are capabilities, within the facility, to tag adults entering the trap for a suite of required evaluation studies including how efficient the trap is at attracting and capturing salmon and steelhead, monitoring survival of fish transported upstream, and determining where the fish migrate to in the upper river, where they spawn and relative spawning success.  The goal is 99% survival for fish entering the trap and transported upstream.

Handling and sorting protocols will be discussed as they relate to hatchery origin or natural origin fish that enter the Merwin Fish Capture facility.